The Flood
by John Bethany
Summary: My take on the events that took place in Kvatch through the eyes of one of the guardsmen. Rated M for severe violence in places. First fic in a very long while so review and criticize if you'd be so kind.
1. Footsteps in the Dark

The evening was calm and cool. The breeze lapped over the hills and valleys of Cyrodill and trotted its path between the towns that dotted the picturesque countryside. The sun sat slumped on the horizon and lazily dragged itself away sending hues of orange and purple clashing against each other as the night ebbed into the sky; wielding heavy clouds in its hands, the darkness fell. Sat aloft upon a pedestal of rock and earth was the proud shining city, Kvatch. The warm atmosphere glimmered off the city with a radiant light, and Jesan Rilian couldn't agree more.

He leaned against the eastern wall, taking a small break from his perimeter duties. He removed his helmet and rubbed down his short brown hair, whilst trying to sneakily acquire a bottle of mead from a loose brick in the wall.

"Thought the wife had managed to get you off that stuff" came a voice from his side. He clumsily juggled the bottle and hid it behind his back before realizing who owned the voice.

A tall figure beamed a knowing smile down at Jesan and also removed his helmet. His golden skin caught the final instances of sunlight and flung them into Jesan's eyes. He flinched and then addressed his surprise guest.

"You're one to talk Merandil, I've never seen you off this so called "stuff"" laughed Jesan

"That may be," replied Merandil, "But at least I don't have a wife and child to worry about making myself a fool to"

Jesan retrieved his bottle from behind his back and took a swig, "Cut me some slack friend, it's the final days of Last Seed; I've got a loving family, a well paid do-nothing job, and free seats to the best arena in the entirety of Cyrodill. A man's got to allow himself to live a little."

Merandil peered down from the eastern wall onto the sights and sounds of the city. The view was amazing, one could see the whole arena stage, the courtyard of Castle Kvatch, and even into the bell tower of the Chapel of Akatosh.

"Well I must admit you've got a pretty beautiful spot here" remarked Merandil.

Before Jesan could respond, thunder rolled from out its cage and over the clouds that had gradually crept overhead. Suddenly the clouds stopped and burst forth.

Jesan scrabbled to put his helmet back on and secreted his bottle of mead back behind the loose brick.

"For the love of Akatosh, where did this come from?" enquired Merandil, who was also trying to replace his helmet with great difficulty.

"Ah it always seems to rain around here anyway. Always." grumbled Jesan, who was trying to light his torch fruitlessly in the torrential rain.

After a number of ever-increasingly desperate attempts, Jesan lifted his lit torch up high and smiled proudly.

"What do you say to a quick one at the inn? My treat."

"No thanks Jesan, I'm still trying to recover from last week's binge. We Altmer are very susceptible to alcohol you know. And besides, your wife said you're not supposed to be drinking any more"

Jesan sighed, exasperated, "You're no fun when you're sober. It's all "Altmer this, and Altmer that". I told Captain Matius you'd be there too. As for my "problem", so long as I don't drink too much mead I'm fine."

Merandil looked deeply confused for a moment and asked, "Why mead of all things?"

Jesan looked around as the rain crashed over the city and breathed out sharply, "Look, we're just getting soaked here. If you just come with me to the inn I'll explain everything. You coming?"

Merandil tapped his belt and looked upwards briefly in thought, only to receive a face full of rain water. He spluttered and collected himself from his display.

"Yes" me murmured as he wiped his face dry on his already soaked guard uniform.

* * *

The great hall of Castle Kvatch was alive with music and dancing. The tables were lined with prestigious faces, including Count Ormellius Goldwine himself. In the courtyard, children were playing in the rain, jumping in puddles and chasing each other in the nooks and crannies of the palace courtyard. Two guards stood watch over the castle gate, barely moving in the powerful rain.

Back indoors, past the luxurious great hall, was the kitchen. An average sized room filled with racks and barrels of food all ready to be prepared. Slaving away in the kitchen was Milena Rilian, the castle's soup chef. She was a strange sight to behold; a eloquent and gentle-featured lady bustling around with sumptuous combinations for food. And she was far from pleased. The head chef was at the dinner table with the Count and his guests, so she had to keep the food coming for the Counts hungry audience.

"By the Nine, how can people eat so much?" She moaned as she eased some boar meat into the oven. Her finger caught itself on the burning oven door and she dropped the meat on the floor, cursing aloud.

From around the door frame peeked a small dumpy maid, "Milena," she called to her.

Milena sucked her burnt finger and raised her head, "Yes, Julienne?"

"The Count's about to make a big speech. He wants everyone to be present. And he means everyone."

Milena looked at the meat on the floor, shrugged, and followed Julienne to the great hall.

As they turned the corner into the hall, they could see nearly a hundred people gathered to hear the Count. Although the Count wasn't famed for his speeches, when the Count of a town asks everyone to attend a speech, you knew it was not going to disappoint.

From the main door came an over-excited squeak of joy, "Mummy!"

Milena turned to her daughter as she came running in from outside.

"Have you had fun in the rain sweetheart?" she asked as she wiped her kitchen cloth over her soaking hair.

"It was great!" she exclaimed, "We went running around all the courtyard and acted like Sea Dreughs going "RAAAAAAAR!" at one another and this one boy said that I smelled reaaaaally badly so I pushed him into a puddle"

"Now Suzette, you shouldn't go around pushing boys into puddles" advised Milena as she continued to dry off her child.

"But he pinched me too! See!?" Suzette showed her mother her arm where several small red marks lay idly.

"Well THAT changes everything" exclaimed Milena who smiled and held her daughter's hand as the Count waited for everyone in the Castle to gather.

Most of Kvatch's townspeople were in the employ of Count Goldwine, leaving the Great Hall somewhat cramped and constricted for space. Yet these concerns fluttered away when the Count stood up from his chair and beckoned to the gathered crowd.

"Dear men and women of Kvatch, we live in grave times. The untimely passing of the Great Emperor, Uriel Septim, has affected us all; yet this is not to say that we are to simply sit and mourn in the dark. We have an obligation to celebrate the Emperor's life and not his murder. That is why we feast tonight, that is why I've ordered the arena to stay open until dawn breaks, and that is how we shall overcome this most saddening event. I am all indebted to you for coping against the void we face, and as such I insist that we all come together and celebrate the end of Last Seed together. Not as Count and servant, or Steward and maid; but as equal citizens of Kvatch. Blessings of Akatosh upon us all. Enjoy."

The audience erupted into applause and the Count sat himself back down. The dancers picked themselves up and continued their flowing movements. A nearby guard grabbed a flagon of ale and began to knock it back whilst trying his smoothest line on the Count's female Steward.

Milena watched as the horde of people embraced the hospitality of the Count's offer, and she knelt down to face Suzette.

"Okay missy, mummy's going to have to stay here and see what she can do to keep the Castle tidy. I want you to run back home with the Bosmer children and get yourself ready for bed when I come home, okay?"

Suzette nodded profusely and galloped back into the rainy streets outside whooping and cheering as she went.

* * *

Jesan slammed his flagon onto the table and cleared his throat, "I'll have you know I saw the Grey Prince fight in the Imperial City Arena, and he really wasn't that good. Very sloppy fighting stance."

Merandil scoffed and finished off his bottle of ale, "You never went to the Imperial City, Milena would've never let you leave."

Jesan put his flagon down a second time without having made it to his mouth, "This was before I was married. And besides, what's wrong with Kvatch?"

"Nothing at all" came a commanding voice from the doorway of the inn.

Captain Matius grinned from ear to ear, he loved having discussions about Kvatch.

"Ah Captain," said Jesan, "Glad you could make it here eventually. Where' Berich?"

Captain Matius pulled up a chair and sat beside the two conversing guards, "Oh he said he'd be here in a few minutes. He had to go over to the Castle to retrieve his gate key from the guards on patrol there. Let me tell you, Count Goldwine knows how to throw a party."

"It's not meant to be a party" Jesan sighed, "It's supposed to be a 'celebration of Uriel Septim's life'."

"Yeah a celebration involving dancers, ale and musicians. How appropriate for a man who went insane after being imprisoned in Oblivion" butted in Merandil.

"Merandil, there's no need for that sort of tongue" scorned Captain Matius

"Sorry Sir"

Captain Matius leaned on his chair and turned to Jesan, "How's Milena and little Suzie?"

"Well Milena seems to be doing alright down at the Castle, but we're having a hard time finding a nice place to raise Suzette," said Jesan, "and I was wondering about maybe transferring to Anvil in the coming season."

Captain Matius tilted his head and enquired, "What's wrong with Kvatch?"

"Yeah!" sparked Merandil

"Shut up you." muttered Jesan to Merandil, "Well you see sir, I do love Kvatch, like you I was born and live here, but I feel that somewhere closer to the coast would be a beautiful place to raise Suzie. She's already five, and I would ever so like to have her grow up by the sea before her childhood's all but gone."

Captain Matius winced and sighed reluctantly, "Jesan, you're a fine guardsman, and I respect your devotion to your wife and child. I'll let you know in the morning."

"Thank you for the opportunity sir" said Jesan.

"Well I'm going to the bar for a drink, keep an eye out for Berich would you?" asked Captain Matius.

"Sure thing" replied Jesan.

"Now..." began Merandil, unfolding his arms and reclining in his seat, "what's this business about mead?"

"Ah," remarked Jesan, "it's an odd tale of sorts, involving riches, deception, magic, and a crazy Khajit woman"

"Sounds like a hoot" said Merandil, pleased.

"Well, just about the time Suzie was born, that strange Dark Elf 'merchant' came to town. Do you remember, Merandil?"

" Oh yes, and he turned out to be a Morag Tong agent sent to kill the Count. That was the most action we've ever seen round these parts." replied Merandil.

"Anyway," continued Jesan, "while we were confiscating his effects I found a length of parchment written by a Khajit elder called "J'barri the Seer" that said she'd enchanted this Dark Elf with an ability to predict the future. And the price for such an enchantment was the highest figure of Septims I'd ever seen."

"How much?" asked Merandil.

"270,000"

Merandil's eyes widened and he steadied himself on the table. He went for a swig of his bottle, only to realise it was empty.

"And?" Merandil asked impatiently.

"As I read on it appeared to be that this enchantment was more like a curse. And whoever killed the Dark Elf would also receive his power, and the power would reveal itself using the same methods the Dark Elf used. And if you remember correctly, I was the one to put an arrow through his head."

"Are you trying to tell me," Merandil asked, "That if you drink enough mead you get to see into the future?"

Jesan took a gulp of his ale, "Pretty much, yeah."

Merandil scoffed again and this time leaned over to Jesan, "Now why would your wife want you to stop seeing into the future?"

Jesan also leaned in, "Well at first it was worrying that these visions might take over my life. But then when I started having them, they were so vague that I couldn't tell what they meant until the events actually happened. But recently, they've been so vivid...and dark. A great eye, burning and winding towards us. Casting fire and death in all directions. People's flesh melting away in searing pain."

Jesan went quiet suddenly. Merandil waved his hand in front of Jesan until he snapped back to reality.

"You okay Jesan?"

Jesan lifted his head and grinned as if he'd jut awoken from a blissful sleep, "What's the problem, Merandil?"

Merandil gave an uneasy face and backed away from Jesan, who had seriously sent shivers down his spine. Captain Matius returned from the bar and sat down.

"What were you two talking away about? Something interesting I take it?"

Jesan looked puzzled and thought about it for a moment, "To be honest Captain, I can't remember. Can you Merandil?"

Merandil stared vacantly into his empty bottle and muttered, "No, I can't say that I do."

Jesan stretched himself out and yawned loudly so that the whole inn could hear him, "Well I'm going to see if the little one's off to bed. Good night Captain, tell Berich I said hello. And goodnight Merandil, tell your brother he still owes me a flagon or two from our wager last week!"

Even after Jesan had left, Merandil sat with an expression of sheer worry across his face.

Captain Matius tapped him on the shoulder, "Whatever's the matter Merandil? Did Jesan tell you a ghost story or something? He does have some of the best stories, I always find."

* * *

Suzette skipped along the cobbled streets of Kvatch, trying to collect some of the rain water in her mouth. She loved the feeling of refreshing coastal rain on her tongue, especially during Last Seed. It was like some sort of magical season or something that made the rain taste better.

As she danced her merry way down to her house, something caught her eye.

From down an alleyway came a pulsating red glow. She leaned to get a better look but couldn't see around the corner.

"Hello?" She cried down the alley. Yet no reply came.

She looked about her and walked towards the mysterious light that began to intensify as she got closer to it.

As she turned to see the source of the light, she felt almost let down as it turned out to just be a wide alleyway with some sort of red hue to it.

"Aw," she moaned, "that's rubbish."

Then without warning, a huge arc of blackened flesh and crimson bone tore from beneath the ground and implanted itself across the width of the alley. The ashen material pulsated and writhed with demonic energy while the crimson claws that jutted out in a jagged fashion shivered and quivered in the rain.

Suzette watched as the red glow collected itself and projected across the arc forming a strong fiery portal that ebbed and shimmered as it reacted to the damp air. She stepped closer to it, reaching out with her fingers to touch the surface of the portal.

A monstrous, dirty, blackened claw shot out from the portal and clutched her throat. She felt herself being lifted from the floor, her throat seizing up her ability to speak as the talons crushed tighter into her voice box. She gasped and fell crumpled to the floor as her spine gave way inside her neck. The claw grabbed a hold of the portal and pulled itself through into the realm of man and beast, with no intent on leaving either alive.


	2. Crimson Streets

The rain hit the city of Kvatch hard. Harder than it had ever been for the past century. Yet nobody had noticed it. They came teetering out of the arena and the inn with such carefree joy that even the most severe of worries would have just melted in the rain that clogged up the streets. The drunken crowds lulled themselves back to their homes from the grand celebrations that had taken place earlier in the evening. The people of Kvatch had their hearts full of content and joy after their glorious jubilations and needed some desperate sleep to ease themselves into the following morning.

Yet all around the city, curves of twisted black flesh and reddened bone lurched from the ground and burrowed back in, creating gateways that hissed and gasped with foreboding power. Flaming portals glimmered and whispered tainted words to the ground and from within them marched a deadly force, the likes of which the citizens of Kvatch had never dreamt possible.

Jesan staggered from the inn and craned his neck out into the rain. He looked up and down the street before returning under the roofed porch of the inn to relight his torch.

"Jesan!"

Jesan lifted his head from his task and looked down the road to see a fellow guardsman beckoning to him. He dipped his torch in the light of the inn until it caught aflame and paced over towards the guard.

"How in Tamriel that torch doesn't get put out by the rain is a mystery to me...", mused the guard, "but still, follow me. You won't believe your eyes!"

Jesan shrugged his shoulders and followed the guard as he led him to a courtyard of a small house. Squatting on the cobbles arced a black limb that climbed back into the ground; a flaming tempest caught in the space inside.

"What in the name of Azura is that?", asked Jesan.

"I have no idea," replied the guard, "but whatever it is, we need to keep the people away from it. Those red spines look deadly"

Jesan agreed and the two began shepherding people away from the portal and back to their "homes and places of business" in case they ran a late night shop or something. Jesan never really knew why they had to say such a statement in the evening, but it was guardsman protocol.

Behind them, Jesan heard the gateway crackle and hiss with power. He turned around to see the gate shimmer and pulsate before vomiting forth a shapeless horde of creatures. Some of the crowd caught the sight and screamed as the being at the forefront stood up to its full height.

Jesan drew his sword, "Everybody get out of here. Guards to arms!" he cried.

Two more guardsmen ran to their location, weapons unsheathed, and gazed upon the advancing monsters.

They wore hideously formed armour, that surged with dark, raw, energies. It glowed and hummed in the air, whilst the rain that cascaded from the sky merely sizzled as it touched them. The dark crimson that tainted the armour simulated what Jesan could best think of as "Iron Fire".

One of the guards that just arrived called to Jesan and the others, "Okay, just hold your ground and don't raise your weapon until they do."

The figure at the front stepped out towards the guard and stared down at him. The guard felt dwarfed by the colossal size of the demonic being. Through the burnt and warped visage of it's helmet, it rasped, "Where. Is. Martin Septim?"

The guard summoned all his courage to face the creature and held his sword by his side. By now a few more citizens had returned to see how the guards dealt with the monsters.

"T-t-t-t-there isn't anyone in K-Kvatch by...th-that n-n-name," he stammered eventually.

The daedra leant closer to the guard and spat, "Then. Die. Mortals."

The dremora, in one swift movement, unsheathed it's sword and split the guard in two, his blood erupting across the courtyard. It roared to the other daedra by it's side to attack.

"Don't worry," said Jesan, "there's only three. We can take them."

From deep within the portal, a mighty bellow thundered across Kvatch. Hundreds of mangled voices crying and baying for the blood of the innocent. And then the flood came. From all across the portals in Kvatch, the demonic hordes of Oblivion poured into every seam and space. Every life was in peril.

Jesan watched as the rampaging army of demons burst out from the gateways, cutting down civilians with ease.

He ducked and dived as arrows clawed their way across the streets towards him. His feet met themselves in a tumble and he fell onto the cobbled roads. In the courtyard where he had just been, dozens of demons, in all the most ghastly forms, clambered out from the portal with blood in their eyes. The guards he had stood by were ripped to pieces by the daedra soldiers and flayed alive by creatures that seemed to resemble pure fire.

He scrambled back around the corner, just as a women who was following him dropped dead as an arrow tore its way through her neck. Blood oozed from her wound and she stopped moving, the life grappled from her very body.

Jesan hurried away from the body and back to where he had came from. He had to find a place to hide. He glanced down the other end of the street to see more people plucked from the streets by the creatures. Swords cleaving through bodies, fire shooting from the hands of daedra all over the bodies of the innocent. Jesan held his breath and felt a sickness rising.

From over his head, a window smashed sending glass into the cracks in the cobbles. A body descended from the window and collided with the ground with a thud. The rain spattered down onto the broken frame of the individual, who attempted to pick themselves up. As Jesan moved to assist, a scaly shape leapt from the broken window and onto the body. They screamed as the reptile creature ripped at their flesh until only bone remained.

Jesan raised his sword and charged at the creature. It turned as it saw him coming and screeched. Jesan gave it no opportunity to strike and plunged his sword hilt-deep into its maw. Blood gushed from the creature's mouth as it writhed on the floor in its final agonizing moments. Jesan clutched the hilt of his sword and ripped it out the side of the monster's mouth. Bone and sinew drooled down the street.

"Everybody in here quickly!"

Jesan turned to see the voice emanate from the inn. A guardsman held the door open as people ran inside for shelter. Jesan stepped around his kill and bolted for the door.

* * *

Inside castle Kvatch, the celebrations had ended and people hauled their drunken frames out into the rain and back to their homes, oblivious to the sight that would behold them. The first batch of party-goers to exit the great hall were stumped as they saw a howling portal blocking the gate to the castle. 

One of the drunken rabble called to one of the guards, "Berich!"

Berich Inian turned around, clearly disgruntled by the heckling of the crowd behind him.

"I'm in no mood to talk with you lot, I should've been off duty about an hour ago. The gate is open so please just leave me alone" he yelled back to them.

"But what's that?" came the same inebriated voice.

Berich exhaled sharply and descended the steps from the gate to see what the man was indicating at. He stood beside the crowd and glared at the restless gateway that glimmered before them.

"Close the gate and get down here now!" he cried to the other guardsman, who promptly did as he was told. Berich removed the gate key from his fellow guard's hand and placed in his hip pouch.

From the main doorway of the hall, Milena scurried about, pouring slop and dirty water into the gutter. She paused briefly when she caught sight of the large black arch that blocked off the castle gate. She craned her neck to get a better view of the fiery abyss that was trapped within the black coil and like the others, was fascinated by it.

"What should we do?" the guard asked Berich.

Berich stared at the portal and was about to make a suggestion when one of the houses from the living quarters erupted into flames. Screams darted past the castle as the demonic force reached the castle gate, claws snatching out towards the dark portal.

Berich grabbed the other guard and said to him with stern force, "Help me escort these people back inside and protect them with the castle guard. I'll find Tierra and see what we can do."

"What is it sir?" asked the guard.

Berich said nothing but let go of the guard. He turned to the crowd and raised his arms.

"If you would be so kind as to return to the castle, we will be able to deal with this matter using the necessary means."

As the crowd slowly churned and rolled back through the castle doors, Milena stood by the door helping the people to avoid bumping into one another. She raised her head back to the gate to see hulking armoured figures loom from within and raise their weapons to Berich as he continued to forward people into the castle.

"LOOK OUT!" she screamed.

Berich turned around as the daedric beast swung its claymore, cutting the air in half as it did. He dived to his side and pulled out his sword in readiness. The creature swung again. Berich weaved around the assault and brought his blade down across the monster's bow, carving up it's face. It howled and fell dead to the floor. Berich tossed his sword to his other hand just in time to parry another creature's attack. He flicked the fiend away before flashing his weapon back against it, running it through a chink in it's armour.

He kicked the creature from his sword and watched the dumbstruck crowd at the doorway, "GET INSIDE NOW!"

The people panicked their way back into the castle's hall as Berich Inian staved off the daedra attack. The other guard stood by the door with his bow in hand, uncertain as to ready it in defense. Berich glanced him in the corner of his eye, the poor lad stood frozen.

"GO!" he ordered, "I'LL FIND TIERRA, JUST PROTECT THE PEOPLE!"

The guardsman's lip quivered in fear, he couldn't move. A hand delved out from the anarchic crowd and hauled him back behind the gates. Milena peeled his gaze from Berich's stand and gripped his shoulders.

"Come on, soldier," she told him, "there's a lot of scared people here, and we all need your help. Find the castle guard and set up some sort of defense. NOW!"

The guardsman nodded shakily and darted down the hall to the guards quarters. Milena tutted and shook her head. "Recruits," she muttered, "always the jumpier ones."

The gates to the main hall of castle Kvatch closed securely, with people promptly hauling furniture against it, sealing it firmly from the inside. Milena watched the crowds of people organize themselves and rolled up her sleeves. There was always work to be done.

* * *

Jesan sped his way into the inn and pushed his back against the wall inside. His breath was quick and laboured. He slid down until his face rested between his knees, never did he have to run with such fear in his life before. His heart felt as if it was thudding a path out his chest.

Captain Matius came over beside him, "Jesan are you okay? What's going on out there? All we heard was screaming and crashes."

Jesan breathed deeply and looked up to his captain, "Daedra...here. In Kvatch."

The captain knelt down to see Jesan eye to eye.

"What do you mean daedra here?"

Jesan felt the wind rush back into his lungs and explained himself to the captain, "They just poured out of these gates. I've never seen anything like it. Dozens, maybe hundreds of them. Dremoras, Clannfears, Scamps, Atronachs, things that live in stories you tell to your children. I don't know what to do, sir..."

Captain Matius picked up Jesan and looked at the group of people at his disposal. Besides the collection of obviously stirred citizens were five guards; Jesan Rilian, Merandil, an Imperial called Raythe Finius, Ilend Vonius, and a Dark Elf named Jorbus.

He rubbed his jaw and paced away from the door of the inn.

"Here's what we do. We need to get these people out of Kvatch and nearer to Gold Road on the chance they may be rescued by passing merchants or Legion soldiers. We'll have to get to the roof of this inn and leap across to the walls of the city. From there we'll hook up with soldiers at the guards tower. Then we'll get to the church and hold up there until we can gather our strength for the final dash to the front gate. Everybody ready?"

A shallow noise of agreement murmured across the inn and captain Matius unsheathed his sword.

"Good then, Jorbus, Jesan, barricade that door to buy us some time. The rest of us will move upstairs and get to the guard tower. Let's go!"

Jesan lifted a table and heaved it onto the door of the inn to bar it shut. To his right Jorbus was struggling with a bench. He grabbed the other end of it and helped Jorbus rest it against the door. Jesan sighed with relief after depositing the bench and backed away from the door. Jorbus tried to straighten out the bench to better close off the door.

Suddenly a twisted sword blade burst through the door and into Jorbus' shoulder. He cried in pain as the blade began to turn and manoeuvre itself deeper into his darkened flesh. Jesan tried to pull Jorbus away, but the blade burst out his other side and began to butcher it's way down through his torso. Jorbus' body slumped ungracefully as it split in two and Jesan fumbled his sword free of it's sheath.

His feet fell over each other until he had his hand on the stairs. The demons hacked their way through the door, and began to maraud a path through the barricade. Jesan eyed his surroundings frantically. In an act of desperation, he scurried to the bar and pulled a bottle of Cyrodillic Brandy from the shelf. He eyes it up quickly and hurled it at the doorway. The liquid bled everywhere, over the daedra, Jorbus' fallen form, over everything. Jesan then removed a torch from its perch and threw it onto the doused entrance. The brandy lit up, scorching the creatures alive. He paced backwards up the stairs, the sight of the fire consuming the creatures burning an image in his eyes.

* * *

Milena ungracefully dropped another keg of ale by the tower door. She eyed up the hasty barricade and sat down against the stone walls. Her mind began to drift to how her husband and child could be surviving the slaughter that devoured the city. Jesan was a guardsman for pete's sake, surely the guards have a plan for such an event. As for little Suzette, she was nimble and fast. She could easily have evaded the daedra and hid in the sewers.

A friendly voice shook her from her thoughts.

"Milena, you look tired. Go get some rest by the tables, I'll finish off carrying some things."

Milena smiled and thanked Julienne, "You've always got my back, eh?"

Julienne nodded and assisted a fellow servant to carry a crate over to the main gate to bar it off even further.

Milena fell from her feet and sat heavily by the table. She sighed and looked around her. To her right sat a figure clothed entirely in a crimson robe. She saddled up next to the figure and asked, "What's with the robe? Are you some sort of mage?"

The figure sighed and replied, "In a way yes. But it's not important now." After a long pause he said,"...They'll get in you know."

Milena cocked her head at an angle and looked puzzled, "What do you mean?"

"I've seen it."

Suddenly the door heaved and buckled as it was pounded from the other side, the barricade barely managing to hold.

Milena looked at the figure and asked, "Listen...er...whoever you are..."

"Eldamil"

Milena continued, "Okay Eldamil, there's a lot of frightened people here and your pessimistic tone is not helping"

Eldamil turned gently to Milena, "I've also seen what happens to you, Milena Rilian. You and every soul in this city."

Milena paused as her breath was hushed by the figure's words.

"You will all burn in my master's wake."

The door to Castle Kvatch cracked into pieces as the daedric hordes charged inside. Their weapons swung wildly and sliced both the air and the civilians. Milena fell back from her seat and joined in the mad dash to safety from the great hall. She glanced over her shoulder to see the red shimmer of Eldamil waft on out of the hall in an eerie breeze as people all around him were ground to bloody dust.

Julienne called out to Milena from the other side of the hall, "Milena get over here!".

Milena darted across the breadth of the hall, weaving through the hysterical crowds. She grabbed Julienne and the two slammed the door of the corridor closed.

Milena smiled at Julienne, "Always got my back, eh?" she said between deep demanding breaths.

Julienne smiled back as they both held the door shut together. Julienne propped her back to the door and looked to Milena, "I'm gonna barricade this door. That torch there leads to a secret hatch to the cellar. They won't find us there."

Milena nodded, "You want me to wait for you?"

Julienne used nearby brooms and chairs as buttresses, "Just go, if you hear any commotion then just close the hatch. At least one of us must survive."

Milena pulled on the torch and paced down the revealed passageway, the howls and wails of the people dying upstairs gradually faded as Milena descended deeper into her inky sanctuary.


End file.
